Israel’s civil aviation system is under mounting strain due to the continued presence of U.S. military aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, with the country’s aviation chief warning that the situation is distorting commercial operations and pushing airfares higher ahead of the peak summer travel season.
Civil Aviation Authority Director General Shmuel Zakai has told senior government officials that the airport is increasingly functioning like a mixed military-civilian base, with consequences for both airline operations and competition.
In a letter to Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev and ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken, Zakai warned that the balance has tipped too far.
“It appears the defense establishment lacks sufficient understanding of the severity of the damage to civil aviation,” he wrote, adding that the reduced flight capacity is already affecting prices “for all citizens in the country.”
Zakai said the situation is delaying the return of foreign airlines and undermining the stability of Israeli carriers. Several major international airlines remain hesitant to resume full service following months of regional instability linked to the conflict with Iran.
The warning comes after Israeli airspace fully reopened following a ceasefire that ended a period of escalation earlier this year. Although local carriers have restarted operations, many European airlines have kept suspensions in place through May, while some U.S. carriers are postponing their return until September.
The limited recovery in international traffic has already tightened seat availability, contributing to higher fares as demand rises toward the summer holidays.
At the center of the dispute is the parking space occupied by U.S. military aircraft. According to aviation officials, at least 14 American refueling aircraft have been stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, alongside additional military aircraft positioned at Ovda Airbase in southern Israel.
Israeli airlines say this has significantly reduced their ability to base aircraft at their home airport.
Speaking at the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday, Israir CEO Uri Sirkis said his airline has been sharply restricted.
“We are currently allowed to have four overnight parking spaces at Ben Gurion Airport because of the US planes, and we were supposed to keep 17 planes in Israel,” he said.
He added that the shortage forces airlines into inefficient scheduling. “If we don’t have an overnight parking space, we need to park the plane in Rome and carry out the schedule in reverse,” Sirkis explained, which creates operational and financial challenges.
The ripple effects extend beyond logistics. Zakai warned that reduced capacity is already feeding into higher consumer prices, as fewer available flights increase demand pressure.
He urged the government to relocate U.S. military aircraft to dedicated military airbases and restore full civilian capacity at Ben Gurion Airport. Zakai also called for an interministerial task force to stabilize the sector and support struggling airlines.
“Ben Gurion Airport is the main civilian airport of the State of Israel,” he wrote. “Turning it into a military base harms not only the airlines, but all citizens of the country.”
